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HELP!! Tile job - needs to be re-done?

greenfingernail

12 years ago

What is the best practice for laying stone (marble?) tile? Not sure if the tiles are bad, but there seems to be some more than hairline cracks on some so-called marble/stone tiles I bought from Lowes.

Got one poweder room done and the contractor picked and chose good unbroken tiles and laid them well - -simple sq pattern.

Now hall-bath is in process with another contractor and today tiles are laid but grout not yet done; we see some tiles with quite visible cracks have been used. Plus this time we did a diagonal design and one tile's angular tip is chipped by an 1/8th of inch or so.

- is the chip and or the crack ok as is?

- can they be redone?

- if not, will the grout be enough to protect the backer board from moisture?

- will the bathroom hold up for more than a few years? the previous tiles held up for 40+ years and we took thewm down only to update the bthroom

Advice from the pros really appreciated!

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Comments (9)

alku05
12 years ago
Have the faulty tiles pulled up and replaced. I noticed some very subtle chips after grouting and we had them replaced. Easier to do it before grouting, rather than after. The cracks will only become more visible as time and dirt happen, and you'll ALWAYS notice that chip.
greenfingernail
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks Alku for that quick response -
yes I think that is what we have to do tomorrow..
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Lynne Reno
12 years ago
you have to go through lowe's and home depot tiles before you ever install them, most of their stuff is seconds. It doesn't usually matter too much, they take bad ones back for exchange or refund, but it can get a little ugly when their tiles are not all the same size
Diplodicus
12 years ago
Hi there,

I bought marble tiles (carrera) a while ago and they were chipped and marked. I brought them back to the store (not Lowes) and they took them back no quibble. I think it will be more difficult for you now that they are laid. They could say that the tiler chipped them. WHY OH WHY didnt your tiler say anything before he put them down. He shouldn't have laid them. Lose the tile but lose the tiler too.

Dippy
greenfingernail
Original Author
12 years ago
Update:
The tiler did replace all the broken tiles without any fuss - it was his helper who did the tiles and we think its either because we were running short of tiles (having already done the powder room) - we had had a conversation about whether to buy a couple of extra cartons, but he said there'd be enough..he may have thought he was being thrifty making do with what there was, that he may be looked as being wasteful or some such thing? we didn't think he'd use broken ones so we didnt even raise that..

the other possibility is that this tiler works full time for a high end company and is not used to working with Lowes tiles ;)
anyway about 5-7 tiles were replaced - now we still see one half-tile, but the grouting is already done...and he says the wall might get damaged in the removal?
bill_vincent
12 years ago
That's not your problem. it's his.
greenfingernail
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks BillV.
He is redoing whatever is possible. I am not sure whether this is just a question of watching sausage being made, or...I think it's all working out though.
PRO
Avanti Tile & Stone / Stonetech
12 years ago
I kinda have to laugh. Folks will go to Homer Burrito and buy the seconds, expecting perfection. Seldom happens. I tell my clients to "anti up" and buy good quality. Sure, it's a couple of dollars more. What is a completer rip-out and redo worth?

Glad to hear that it's working out, though....
greenfingernail
Original Author
12 years ago
Yeah - agree - my DH feels the sameway, except he's not laughing!
guess its sticker shock that holds me back...

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